Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana: Indian Railways to Train 50000 Youths; Check Eligibility

Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana, a program under the aegis of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) was launched yesterday (17 September 2021) by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology. 

Indian Railways has decided to provide training to 50000 candidates over a period of three years. Initially, the training will be given to 1000 candidates only. This training will be given in four trades viz. Electrician, Machinist, Welder, and Fitter and will include initial basic training of 100 hours. 

However, training programs in other trades are going to be added by zonal railways and production units on the basis of regional demands and need assessment. 

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Candidates must be 10th Pass and between the age bracket of 18-35 years to apply. Participants shall however have no claim to take employment in Railways on the basis of this training.

• These training are going to be given free of cost and participants are going to be selected from applications received online, following a transparent process based on marks in matriculation. 

Program Curriculum:

This has been designed and developed by Banaras Locomotive Works, the nodal PU for this scheme, which can also standardize assessments and build a centralized database of participants. 

Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana is being launched for 1000 participants at first and will be over and above the training provided to apprentices under the Apprentice Act 1961. For this, a nodal website is being created as the one-point source of information about programs offered, notification inviting application, lists of selected candidates, results of selection, final assessment, study material, and other details. 

Rights now, applicants can apply in response to the advertisements issued locally in the primary stage. Online application submission will be opened soon on a centralized website.

All trainees will have to undergo a standardized evaluation and will be given a certificate in the allotted trade by the National Rail & Transportation Institute, on completion of their program. 

Toolkits will also be given to trainees relevant to their trade which would assist them, utilize their learnings and increase their capacity for self-employment as well as employability in various industries.

This scheme won't only improve the employability of the youth but also upgrade the skills of self-employed and those who are working with contractors through re-skilling and up-skilling and contribute towards the Skill India Mission. 75 Railway Training Institutes spread across the country have been selected to impart training in aforesaid trades, to cover youth from across the country.